Juan Nunez Rios.
St. Augustine, Fla., Feb. 19th, 1600.
Sire:
While serving your Majesty in this Garrison of St. Augustine, Florida, as Captain of one of the companies with the title given me by General Menendez Canso, it is the same position my father served previously for a year and a half before the work and place was turned over to me as your Majesty’s service required. Later Lieutenant Alvarez Hernando Metas having arrived with certain dispatches regarding my father, who had preceded me, the Governor, without giving any reason or consulting me in any way, has taken the company from me and given it to Lieutenant Metas, who is at present serving. The Governor has only said to me that he wished to employ me in other services of your Majesty for which reason I am detained in this Province on half pay. Although I have asked permission to serve on the Armada and assist in any way I am ordered, as is my duty, he will not allow me to do so, but detains me here. I implore you to send me orders if only to be in the infantry of this Garrison; anything until I am ordered elsewhere, to serve your Majesty. This is my profession and I have always followed it, and for which I shall always hope to receive special encomiums from your Majesty, whom I pray our Lord will bless and protect and preserve from all harm.
Antonio Menendez Canso.
St. Augustine, Fla., 26th ——, 1600.
Sire:
In other letters I have written to your Majesty I have given an account of the fire we had on the 14th of March of last year, 1599, in this city. Among other houses burned with the church was ours and we came to the hospital for shelter, where we still are, and I implore your Majesty to rebuild our house. The seven hundred ducats required to repair and cover the house which was burned, and which we hope you will send us, will be placed in deposit with the treasurer of this Province until a decision has been reached regarding this country. On account of its ruined and barren condition it is incapable of maintaining so many natives as there are, and as was demonstrated the other day, many seem to think they will order this Garrison removed to another part more advantageous. Should this be the case, your servants will advise you at once of all that occurs.